Do a hearing screening. Your child will put on headphones, and the doctor will ask him to respond (perhaps by raising his hand) whenever he hears a noise. The doctor will play sounds at different frequencies, from really high to really low. If your child doesn't respond well, he may be referred to an audiologist for more thorough testing to see if he has a hearing problem.

Do an eye exam to check the structure and alignment of your child's eyes and his ability to move them correctly. The doctor will also look for signs of congenital eye conditions or other problems, and check his eyesight with an eye chart.

Answer any questions you have about your child's growth or development.

Talk to you about safety precautions you should take, such as having your child wear a bike helmet while riding, making sure there is a fence around your pool if you have one, and keeping guns, if you own any, in a locked cabinet separate from the ammunition.

Talk to your child about things he enjoys or ask him to sing a song, to assess his language development.

Possibly ask your child to draw a picture of a person in order to see how his mind is developing.

Questions the doctor may ask:

Has she been sick or made any trips to the ER?

How's the toilet training going? At 4, most children are potty trained or almost there, although bed-wetting is still pretty common.

What does she like to eat? It is important that your 4-year-old have a healthy diet.

Can she ride a tricycle? By age 4, most children have developed the coordination to ride a tricycle. Some may be ready to move up to a two-wheeler with training wheels.

Has she started preschool? How does she like it?

Is there fluoride in the water where you live? If there isn't, your child may need to start taking a fluoride supplement to help her teeth and bones grow strong.

What games does she like? Four-year-olds have active imaginations, and most have started playing pretend or make-believe games.

Have you had a personal safety talk? The doctor may ask your child what her parents' names are and if she knows which body parts are private. He may ask if you've had any talks about stranger safety and what to do if she gets lost.

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